To get your mind around just how much marine rubbish washes up on our shores, consider this: A Marine Debris Survey at Cape Arnhem in northern Australia counted, identified and collected all the rubbish washed up on a 5 mile stretch of beach in 10 days.

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On Saturday, the RSPCA said that for all the affected birds found washed up on land, it was likely "more are dying out in the Channel".

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"To all those who say that Maurice is washed up, they're a bunch of fools who want something to say to excite conversation on the internet, " Drummond said.

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For the slightly less adventurous, Guamanchi offers easier two or three-day tours to the lower altitude white rock summit of Pico Pan de Azucar (4, 660m) or hiking around the village of Los Nevados, located about 20km outside of Merida, where mules carry loads up the steep cobbled streets and the white-washed cottages all have red-tiled roofs.

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